Baby tender



Nov. 18, 1924- A. C. BEAUCOUDRAY BABY TENDER Filed June 20 1923 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2 M w W M W mm a d a w 1 m M A, J 7 l m V .F/W

Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ALDEN C. IBEAUCOUD RAY, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

BABY TENDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ALDEN C. BEAUCOUDRAY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, has invented new and useful Improvements in Baby Tenders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a device useful in the attention of infants, performing the function of a crib in which the mattress support maybe raised and lowered to suit the convenience of the attendant; to provide a device of this character formed with folding walls so that the device as a whole may be collapsed for disposition in a small place when not in use, to provide a device having screened walls, so that the infant carried within may be fully protected from flies and obnoxious insects; and to provide a. device of this character which is readily transportable both in its extended and collapsed positions.

With these general objects in view the invention consists in a certain construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings but which does. not define the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view ofthe invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View. I

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line 33 of Figure 2, this figure indicating in dotted lines the initialfolding movements of certain parts in the collapsing operation of the device.

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the device collapsed, the cover or top being omitted in this figure.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the structure of Figure 4, this figure, however, including the top.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the mattress support or frame.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 6, illustrating the spring latches carried by the mattress support or frame.

The invention is in the form of a rectangular parallelopiped having a bottom 1,

the side walls 2 and 3 and the end Walls 4, being interiorly accessible from the top which is covered by a swinging closure 5. The side and end walls and the top consist of screen panels, the end walls-consisting of the foldably connected sections 4 and 4 anda fixed section 4,- that is fixed with reference to the bottom wall and front wall. The section 4 is hingedly connected with the section 4 by leaf hinges 6 While the section 4 is similarly connected with the rear wall by corresponding hinges 6, the sections 4 and 4 being hingedly con nected together by hinges 7 on the opposite side of the wall. Thus the two panels may fold down against each other and in so doing the rear wall ismoved forwardly toward the front wall as when the panels of both ends are folded. The folding of the panels 4 and 4 must of course be attended by a folding of a portion of the bottom wall which consists of the foldably connected sections 1, 1 and 1, the latter of which corresponds in width with the section of panels 4 of the end walls and is fixed with relation to the front wall. The sections or panels 1 and 1 are hingedly connected together as indicated at 8, the hinge being on the bottom faces and the panel 1 is hingedly connected as at 9 with the panel or section 1, that edge of the panel 1 remote from the hinge 8 being adapted for resting on a ledge 10 carried by the rear wall. In the folding operation the panel 1 may be swung to a position of perpendicularity with relation to the panel 1 and this will permit the panel 1 to drop down against the adjacent face of the panel 1 placing the two sections in parallelism and both in perpendioularity with the section 1 the hinge connection 9 being set back far enough to permit the sections or panels 4 and 4 folding down against the folded sections 1 and 1 as clearly shown in Figure 5. I

When the device is in extended position, it may be used as an enclosure for an infant and the side walls will effectively guard the latter so that its movements are restricted to the area of the interior of the device.

In the extended position, the device is prevented from being inadvertently collapsed because of the. fact that the panels and 1 abut the side edges of the panels 1 and 1 when the latter are extended.

In order to make it convenient to raise the bottom 1 and collapse the panels com prising the same, the panel 1 is provided with the grabs 11.

When it is desired to use the device as a crib or bed for the infant, the mattress 12 may be employed, the latter being carried on the mattress frame 13 provided on its end edges with pins 1& engageable in diagonally disposed. notches 15 formed at uni formly spaced intervals on one edge of battens 16 secured to the inner faces of the panels at, beads 17 being also attached to said panels but spaced from the notched ed es of the battens 16 to define a guide groove 18. Obviously if the edge of the mattress frame 13 remote from the pins 14: be raised, the frame may be moved to bring the pins into the guide grooves 18 and thus the frame may be lowered or raised to seat the pins in any of the notches 15.

In the collapsed position of the device, the beads 17 constitute stops for the folded bottom panels. V

The mattress frame 13 is supported at the opposite edge from the pin by spring actuated latch bars 19 engageable in sockets formed in the inner face of the rear wall or panel 2 and at levels corresponding to the bottoms of the notches 15. Retracted latch bars will leave that edge of the mattress in which they are carried free to swing upwardly or downwardly and will thus permit the withdrawing of the pins 141 from the engaged notches 15 for seating in new notches and when the new adjustment has been obtained, the frame is heldv in the desired position by the engagement of the latch bars in thecorresponding sockets; I

When used as a crib or bed, it is desirable that the device be closed on top andto this end the top 5 consists of the hingedly connected panels '5 and 5, the latter being hinged as indicated at. 20 with the upper edge of the rear wall 2 and the section 5 being hingedly connected with the section 5 to swing to opposite sides of, the plane of the latter and being of a'width substantially equal to the combined widths of the panels 4 and 4. Thus the top or cover may be raised as a whole and swung over into parallelism with the rear wall as indicated in Figure 3 in dotted lines, or the section 5 alone may be raised on its hinged connection with the section 5 or the section 5 may be raised, allowing the free edge of the section 5 to'rest on the upper edges of the side walls, to dispose the top 5 in the shape of "an arch so that ventilation may be provided at the ends of the arch if the screen panels constituting the top are covered with a cloth or blanket to protect the infant from the sun.

Also to provide for further accessibility, the front wall 3 is formed with the fixed and movable panels?) and 3 of which the latter is hingedly connected to the former, its free edge constituting the upper edge of the front wall.

In the folded position of the device, prior to collapsing the bottom and end walls, the latch bars and pins of the mattress frame are withdrawn and the pins 14c of the latter are engaged in the uppermost notches 15. This will permit the 'mattress frame and mattress to swing down into parallelism with the front wall and to occupy the space defined by the anels 4; and 1 Thereafter the bottom anc end walls maybe folded which will bring the panel 5 at its hinged edge on top of the upper edge of the front wall 3, when the panel 5 may swing down into parallelism and into abutting engagement with the panel 3* of the front wall.

In order to provide for readily transporting or moving the device, the front and rear Walls ad acent the ends are provided with sleeve brackets 21 in which the shanks of the fork 22 0f caster wheels 23 are carried.

Thus the wheels may swing to follow any direction that is desired to move the device. Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is i 1. A device for the purpose indicated'having front and rear walls, and end walls comprising foldably connected sections and a xed section with which one of the foldably connected sections is hingedly connected, the

other of the foldably connected sections'bee ing hingedly connected with therear-wall,

a bottom comprising foldably connected sections and a fixed section with which one of the foldably connected sections is hingedly connected, a mattress frame, guides carried by the fixed panels of the end! walls and having spaced seats, pins carried by the mat: tress frame movable in the guides and selectively engageable in said seats, and latch members carried by the mattress frame and engageable with sockets in the rear wall disposed in planes corresponding with said seats. i V

2. I A device for the purpose indicated having front and rear walls, and end walls com by the fixed panels of the end Walls and having spaced seats, pins carried by the mattress frame movable in the guides and selectively engageable in said seats, and latch members carried by the mattress frame and engageable With sockets in the rear wall disposed in planes corresponding with said seats, said mattress frame being adapted to swing down in parallelism with the front Wall when the pins are engaged in the uppermost seat and the latch members disengaged.

In testimony whereof he afiiXes his signature.

ALDEN o. BEAUGOUDRAY. 

